The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1887-10-28
The Editor of the Banner seizes an 0p-
portunitY to Deliver Himself OF a
Well Studied Consideration Of
the Devil.

IN his remzrk ks before the closing of the
con ftrence.ol tie African Methodist churh
Bishop Turner referred to some mistaken
ideas entertained by some colored people
about The heavenly world and the lite
hereafter. He said some negroes seemed
to think that they would be white in
Heaven. and he good humoredly rebuked
this notion, ard in substance expressed
the View that the popular ideas concern
ing the color Of the devil were due to the
circumstances AMI associations of people.
He Illustrated this by stating that the
Abyssiuians make the color of the devil
white, while the white races i'll their con-
espiion Of tie arch enemy clothe him in
the color farthcst from their own complex
ior.
Without entering upon the discussion of
tie question a 20 the coler OF the devil it
may be said that the bishop il not far
from correct in assuming that the eoncsp'
tion of the PERSONAL appearance of the
devil depends largely upon the grewsome
associations Of the people. The srth odox
| theological theory is that the devil is q
distinct personality who roams about like
a devouring lion, although there be ma
ny who regard his satanic majesty az sim
ply pervading evil influence, Ii the devil
il md eed person, and if all evil be as
cribed to his influence, he must not only
be an omniprezent sort Of entity, but a
wonderfully protea n parsonage who ap-
| pears in numberless forms and disguises
His first recorded appearance was in the
form Of a serpent, but from that time to
this he has probably takes an infnituds
of forms. The popular notion is that the
devil is black, and that he is the promoter
Of all he black arts. Milton, however,
/ in his poetic fancy makes him magnif
cent being of splendid and shining proper
tons, and with treme ndous power which
alas, was perverted and brought about his
| downfall. There are still many people in
the worlu who think of the devil as a
horned crealu re in human form with Gle
ven hoofs and a barbed tail. 1t is easy to
understand how the varied forms and
functions ascribed to the devil get a he'd
in the minds of the people. This is in 4
measure illustrated in this enlightened
day, when men are moved by their zeal
in any particular reform to identify this
devil especially with the evil which they
are endeavoring to destroy. To the ardent
prShibitionists, for example, the devil il
perhaps oftenest thought of as t demon
OF the bottle breathing out the fumes o
J alcohol to destroy the bodies and soul o
men. Others may more often see the devi
as Mammon glistsning in his illgotter
wealth and bearing the almighty dolla
as his coat ot-arms and his shield agains
which the lance of justice hurtless falls
Others may see the devil specially promi
neut on the theatre boards, and still 9th
ers may conceive of the evil one more OF
ten in his garb of hypocrisy, and so on.
Whatever may be the shape or color o
the devil, he seems to be very numerou
and a very active and persistent perso
whom all should shun. But as we really
/ know very little about this extraordinary
character we must leave everyone to hi
own peculiac notions, with the simpl,
remark that, whether person or an in
Auence, his color is not 10 much a mat te
for grave consideration as his purpose an
his work.